‘I would have no complaints:’ Crosby hopeful NHL players will lace up at 2018 Winter Olympics

By Kristen Lipscombe Metro

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Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Canada forward Sidney Crosby celebrates his goal against Sweden during second period action in the gold medal game against at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russsia, on Sunday, February 23, 2014.

If it was up to two-time gold medallist Sidney Crosby, he and his fellow National Hockey League players won’t leave the Olympics any time soon.

“If I go back to my two experiences, they were pretty good,” the Cole Harbour hockey sensation said at a Hockey Canada press conference Monday, inciting a chorus of chuckles among media and VIP in attendance at The Sutton Place Hotel.

“With all the things that had to happen to make it work, especially in Russia, it would be a similar case, maybe even more difficult, with the upcoming one,” the Pittsburgh Penguins captain said of what will be required to keep NHL payers in the Olympic Winter Games come PyeongChang 2018.

Crosby was a pivotal player in winning with Canada’s men’s team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., where he scored the golden goal in OT, and most recently, at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

“To represent your country, and have those opportunities, I don’t think that ever gets old, no matter what the situation is,” Crosby said. “As a player, I think you’re always looking at those opportunities, and you want to be a part of that, so we’ll see what happens.”

“I would have no complaints,” Crosby concluded.

Crosby was in Vancouver for the Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic at Rogers Arena, an event honouring the country’s gold medal-winning teams from the 2013-14 season.

As Team Canada captain, he attended a press conference earlier in the day. Alongside Canada’s National Women’s Team captain Caroline Ouellette of Montreal, Que., and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team captain Karly Heffernan of Sherwood Park, Alta. Head coaches from all three teams also spoke.

“The Olympic Games are so special,” men’s head coach Mike Babcock added to Crosby’s comments. “My mom never watched sports, but she watched the Olympic Games. People that aren’t interested in sports, still follow the Olympics. I think it’s the greatest opportunity, best-on-best, to sell sport.”

Crosby said winning the Stanley Cup and gold at the Olympic Winter Games are “very similar to be honest.”

“I wouldn’t put one ahead of the other,” he said. “Both (are) special and both unique, but definitely different … If I think about playing for Pittsburgh, I feel like there’s pressure there, too.

“But there’s certainly a lot when you talk about representing your country, being a hockey player in Canada.”